1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel assembly, and more particularly, to a plasma display panel that is easy to manufacture due to a simple structure that protects an exhaust pipe formed on a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a plasma display panel (PDP) assembly is a flat display device in which a plurality of electrodes are formed opposite to a plurality of substrates, and a predetermined voltage is applied across an electric discharge area between the substrates that is injected with an electric discharge gas so that an image is formed by light emitted by ultraviolet rays generated at the discharge area.
The PDP assembly is manufactured by combining together a front panel and a rear panel after producing the front and rear panels separately. A chassis base is installed on the back of the combined panels, and a circuit substrate is mounted on the chassis base that makes possible mutual transmission of electric signals between the panel assembly and the circuit substrate. Then the resultant structure is installed inside a case after carrying out a predetermined testing process.
Air that exists between the panels of conventional PDP assemblies has to be discharged to the outside when combining the front and rear panels together. To do this, the air that is inside is discharged through a predetermined location of the panel when the panel is in a soft state. When the panel hardens after the air has been discharged, an air exhaust pipe hardens and protrudes outward. The exhaust pipe is a part of the panel, but because the exhaust pipe protrudes outward, the exhaust pipe is susceptible to being broken.
FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a shroud device 10 of a PDP exhaust port disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2000-1763. Referring to FIG. 1, the shroud device 10 includes an exhaust port 12 formed on a glass substrate 11. A first shroud area 13 made of a soft material covers the exhaust port 12 and adheres to the glass substrate 11. A second shroud area 16 encloses an exhaust port shroud region 100 and has an adhesive wing 14 that is adhered to the glass substrate 11 by a double-sided tape 15. A back plate 17 is formed on top of the glass substrate 11. The back plate 17 has an aperture through which the second shroud area 16 is exposed.
The conventional shroud device 10 of the exhaust port is manufactured as follows. First, the exhaust port 12 is formed at a predetermined location on the glass substrate 11 and is covered by the first shroud area 13 made of a soft material like rubber, and the bottom of the first shroud area 13 is fixed to the glass substrate 11. Next, using the double-sided adhesive tape 15 adhered to the bottom of the adhesive wing 14 of the second shroud area 16, the second shroud area 16 is adhered to the glass substrate 11 to cover the exhaust port 12 and the first shroud area 13. The second shroud area 16 may be made of a rigid material such as a metal or PVC synthetic resin. After adhering the first shroud area 13 and the second shroud area 16 to the glass substrate 11, the back plate 17, which protects the glass substrate 11, is mounted on top of the glass substrate 11.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the second shroud area 16 of shroud device 10 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the second shroud area 16 has a shroud region 100 with a large enough volume to accommodate the exhaust port 12 and the first shroud area 13. A cylindrical body 110 has a predetermined length depending on the size of the shroud region 100 and has one closed end and one open end. The adhesive wing 14 has an annular shape, and is formed along the circumference of the open end of the cylindrical body 110 as a single body. The double-sided tape 15 is adhered along the circumference of the adhesive wing 14.
However, the conventional shroud device for an exhaust pipe has the complex manufacturing process described above. Also, because separate first and second shroud areas have to be provided and installed on the portion where the exhaust pipe is formed, there is an increase in the production costs.
On the other hand, a reinforcement member is becoming more necessary to prevent the glass substrate from bending or twisting in a horizontal or vertical direction as the PDP assemblies become larger and the size of the glass substrate became larger. A method of installing a structure for protecting the exhaust pipe on such a reinforcement member must be considered.